


Wander Through The Darkness

by AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate



Series: Old Black Train (OtGW AU) [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Over the Garden Wall Fusion, Angst, Big Bang Challenge, Body Horror, Demons, Don't copy to another site, Drowning, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, Gaslighting, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Sibling Bonding, death mentions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 21:24:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20103835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate/pseuds/AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate
Summary: Siblings Logan Palmer and Patton Whelan have never gotten along very well, mostly because Logan refuses to accept the way their life has changed. One average Halloween night, they find themselves in a mysterious forest, known by its inhabitants as the Unknown. With no other choice, they must trust a spunky bluebird named Virgil and a black cat named Remy in order to find their way back home.Yet danger lurks in the Unknown, the locals whisper. Haunted by the spectre of a horrifying being known simply as The Beast, the woods are filled with the lost souls of those who gave up hope. Worst of all, this Beast has taken a particular interest in Logan and Patton, much to the fright (and annoyance) of Virgil and Remy. Can the two siblings escape the clutches of the Beast, witches, bandits, flesh-eating demons, and find their way back home? And will they ever truly care for each other?





	1. Come, Wayward Souls

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first of 2 Big Bangs! I really enjoyed working on this project, and I hope you all enjoy reading it! 
> 
> Also, please heed the tags. This thing can get dark for some people. If anything is triggering, please skip this. I don't want anyone to go into a panic attack over my writing. 
> 
> With that out of the way, have fun with this angst-fest!

A  soft, sweet breeze rustled through the branches of the trees. Birds chirped, squirrels chattered, and mice scampered over crisp fallen leaves and soft earth. The forest was in the midst of autumn, caught between life and death, clinging to the last vestiges of summer whilst already surrendering to the siren song of winter. A cat licked her black paw, tail swishing behind her, flicking in time with a beat that only she could hear. Her intelligent violet eyes swept over the forest— her home— as her ears pricked up at distant crackles and crunches of the leaves, accompanied by unfamiliar voices. She jumped into the undergrowth, waiting, watching, as the intruders rounded the bend. 

“- and then there’s caramels, Miss Belshaw always hands out caramels. And Mr. Reynolds is super nice and gives out these really nice chocolate-covered nuts! I don’t really like those fruits that Ms. Ortiz gives out, though, they’re not sweet enough. But I really love Mr. Bates though! He gives you chocolate pretzels and, if you’re extra good, he gives you ones with caramel as well! You’d like his son, I think, Lolo, he’s your age and he likes this old person named Edgar who writes scary stuff. I don’t get it, but I’ve told him about you, and he thinks you’d be pretty cool! I think you’d be really-” 

  
  
“Hey, Patton, quiet for a second,” the taller of the two strangers suddenly blurts, slapping their hand over the smaller one’s mouth. The smaller one lets out a little meep, but the taller one— Gnome, the cat mentally renames them— ignores him, looking around the forest with wide, shining eyes. The cat flicks her tail, eyes narrowing at the unease she sees in those eyes. This can only go downhill from here. 

“W-where are we? This isn’t home. How did we end up in the woods? There aren’t any woods near where we live. How… Patton, I think we’re lost,” the tall one stammered, gripping the sides of their head. Their long fingers jostled the dark blue cone-shaped hat on their head, and they yelped as it fell to the ground. The shorter one, Patton most likely, picked it up and handed it back, smile unnaturally wide and probably not possible under the laws of human biology. 

“Don’t worry, Lolo! We’re not lost! Home’s just back that way!” Patton chirped, pointing behind them. The taller one’s eyes widened and they turned around to see a path shadowed in mist and lined with skeletal trees clinging to the last vestiges of their leaves. 

“Patton… Patton, no it’s not. We’re lost, we’re so lost, Alfred is going to kill me,” Gnome babbled, panic seeping into their voice. The cat flinched from her place in the bush. She had been correct. Oh, how she hated to be correct in this case. This poor soul was a perfect target for the Beast, and she could not bear to see another lost child. 

“Hey! Maybe if we keep walking, we’ll find someone who can help us get home!” Patton cheered, gently taking Gnome’s hand. At least one of these two would not be felled so easily. The cat bunched her legs, prepared to stroll out and direct the children to the nearby town where they would be safe from the Beast—Enoch did not take kindly to his theatrics, after all—when a new presence entered this scene. 

“I can help you,” a soft drawl came from the trees. Both children looked up to find a lilac bluebird perched on a branch, head cocked to the side as most birds were wont to do. Gnome slapped their face a few times, leaving red marks in the shape of a pianist’s hands on his pale cheeks. He glanced around nervously, tugging on the edges of his cloak, as he began to nibble his lip and scuff the ground with his toe. 

“This… this cannot be happening. I must be dreaming. This isn’t real. What is happening?” He pinched himself, to no avail. He then began to run around, continuously pinching himself and attempting to wake up, if his mad ramblings were to be believed. Finally, he knocked his head against a tree. With a yelp of pain, he stumbled back, rubbing his forehead. “Seriously, what is happening?”

  
  
“Well, you’re hitting yourself, and I’m answering your question, and that nice bird is offering to help us!” Patton answered, beaming brightly.

The tall child shook their head. “No, no, Patton, a- a bluebird’s brain isn’t large enough for cognizant speech.” 

“Excuse you?” the bluebird snapped, eyes narrowing. The cat’s fur bristled. She had half a mind to leap out and claw that bird to shreds. 

“What? That is a simple fact of biology,” the taller one snapped back, metaphorical hackles raised.

The bluebird puffed himself up and flew down, landing on the teapot atop the head of Patton, to glare right into the tall one’s eyes. “Now, listen here, you little shit-” he started, when a thick branch snapping startled all involved. 

  
  
The tall child spun around to find a towering mountain of a human— a woodsman, Remy realized with a start, perhaps even the Beast’s woodsman— holding up a lantern, eyes glaring into the souls of all in front of him. “Who goes there?” he bellowed.

The bluebird muttered something about leaving and shot off into the sky, leaving the two cowering children alone. The cat once again bunched her legs and prepared to leap to their defense, but the tall one’s stammering stopped her. 

“We- we weren’t causing any trouble! I just need to get Patton home, and we’re really lost. Could you maybe point us in the right direction, and then we’ll be on our way, and you can go back to doing whatever it is you do!” 

The bulky, darkly-clad man hummed and inspected the two children before sighing and lowering his lantern. “You’ll freeze out here, boys. Let’s get you some food, and then we’ll work on getting you home.” 

Patton eagerly accepted, and while Gnome was still wary, they ultimately accepted as well. The two children left to follow the man reminiscent of redwoods, leaving the cat alone as the only witness. 

Eyes narrowed, she slinked out, hackles raised. She did not trust that woodsman. He stank of the Beast. Someone cleared their throat behind her, and she spun around, hissing with unsheathed claws and bared fangs. 

The bluebird from earlier was perched on a log, giving her an unimpressed look. “Listen, I know you were there the whole time. I think we can both agree that those kids are in danger from that crazy woodsman. Want to help me stage a rescue mission?”

Remy calmed down, fur smoothing, and sat down to lick her paw and contemplate the offer. “Why do you care?” she asked, washing her ears. 

The bluebird sighed. “I… got into a situation like those kids just did, and I don’t want to see that happen again. That guy works for the Beast… we can’t let those kids go without a fight.” 

A grin stretched across her face and she stood, stretching, a calculating grin spreading across her face. “Agreed, little bluebird. I am not one for heroism, but I shall make an exception in this case.” 

  
  
“Virgil, actually. I… I’m not a bluebird.” The cat’s ears perked up at that tidbit, yet she remained silent. This was not uncommon in the Unknown, creatures who were not those creatures. A possible curse was not her business, unless Virgil wished to share more. Questions could wait for later, when those children were safe from the clutches of the Beast. 

“Remy. You can call me Remy. Off we go, Virgil.” With that, she flicked her tail and bounded after the deceptive woodsman, Virgil soaring behind her. It was clear no one else was going to help these kids, so Remy was going to feed the last shreds of decency in her soul and help these kids get home. The Beast had stolen enough souls while Remy stood by idly. It was time to start fighting back. 

The woodsman’s house was not far and, in almost no time at all, Remy and Virgil found themselves perched on the roof, arguing over strategy. Virgil thought swooping down the chimney and pecking the woodsman’s eyes out was the best plan, whereas Remy believed sneaking in through a window and leading the children out would be better. Two of the most stubborn beings in the Unknown stood, toe to toe, neither willing to compromise their position, even to rescue the two hapless children caught up in the middle of this plot. 

  
  
As fate would have it, this argument was pointless, as the section of the roof a few feet away shattered and both Remy and Virgil scrambled back as the two children burst out of the mill, trailed by a hound from hell, eyes glowing in the same swirling coloured rings of the Beast. Virgil shrieked and Remy hissed, claws shooting out as she prepared to leap and claw the hound to shreds. Gnome, however, turned out to be more resourceful than expected, as they lured the hound to the edge of the roof near the wheel and goaded it into barreling towards them, leaping out of the way at the last minute and allowing the hound to be crushed by the wheel. Remy tried to muster a shred of sympathy for the hound, but found she couldn’t. Gnome panted, staring in horror at the destruction they had caused, as their younger sibling cheered and danced around. Virgil fluttered up to Gnome and landed on their shoulder, nuzzling into their neck as the woodsman shouted from the midst of the carnage on the ground. Gnome and the smaller one leant over the edge of the roof, staring down in horror. 

Virgil sighed and battered Gnome’s face gently with his wings. “We should go,” he murmured. Gnome simply nodded, still in shock, and scrambled down from the unbroken section of roof, Remy nudging Patton along after them. Ignoring the angered shouts of the woodsman, Remy coaxed the children back into the woods, steering them towards Pottsville. Enoch would know what to do. 

* * *

Logan gulped as much air as they could, arms wrapped tightly around themself under their cloak. Patton bounced happily ahead, chattering endlessly with the bluebird who inexplicably could talk (scientifically impossible, yet happening. Logan did not want to think about what that could mean) named Virgil and the black cat with the too-bright violet eyes, or ‘Remy’ as she told them to call her. Logan trailed behind, lost in thought, trying desperately to quell the anxiety bubbling in their intestines and attempting to claw up their throat. Patton was happy, they could tell; they could not ruin that for him. Their father Alfred would be angry and disappointed, and then their father would be angry and disappointed at them, and they would just be an infuriating disappointment to their entire family. 

“So, Patton, who’s the string bean behind us?” Virgil’s voice cut through Logan’s turbulent thoughts, and their cheeks paled. No no no, Patton, please do not say the words always sitting on the tip of your tongue, those false words that had the power to ruin Logan and reduce them to sand blowing away on the wind- 

“Oh! He’s my older brother,” Patton chirped, beaming back at Logan with the kind of smile only an innocent six-year-old with no concept of Reality could produce. Logan flinched. Of course Patton would answer that. Alfred and Arthur told him that, and who was a six-year-old to question the word of his parents? 

“No, no I’m not,” Logan snapped back, hunching deeper into their cloak. “We are not brothers.” 

“But Papa said-” Patton began, and Logan couldn’t stand to hear the next words, they couldn’t go through the tearing and the fire and the pain again. 

“Alfred is wrong, okay? Arthur’s wrong. We’re not brothers, Patton, so just… just stop, okay?” Logan stammered out before fixing their gaze on anything but Patton and retreating back into their thoughts. They registered Patton explaining that away with  _ He’s just grumpy, don’t worry  _ and  _ He’ll come around, he’s always like this when he’s scared  _ and Logan’s throat fell into the vice-like grip of sorrow. Patton would never understand, he would never let it go, Patton would always see them as his  _ brother _ … 

“Yo, string bean, you good?” Virgil’s voice sounded from right next to his ear. Logan startled and spun to face the bluebird, fingers shaking. This entire scenario was implausible, impossible, and Logan knew that they must be dreaming. They hadn’t dreamed in months, however, so this could not be a dream. Which meant this entire ludicrous scenario was real, it was actually happening, and Logan wanted to cry at the realization. 

“Yes, I am satisfactory. Thank you for asking,” Logan murmured back, wringing their hands together. “Patton has some difficulties accepting reality, that is all.” Without glancing over, Logan could feel the disbelief radiating off of Virgil, stabbing into their heart and tearing into their shields. 

“Sure. Let’s go with that,” Virgil simply answered, ruffling his wings. “Almost makes you want to leave a kid like him behind, yeah?” Logan blinked and turned to face the bluebird, aghast. 

“Absolutely not. Alfred would kill me if I let anything happen to Patton, and then Arthur would kill me for upsetting Alfred,” Logan hissed, sadness welling in their heart. Of course they couldn’t leave Patton. They had to prove that they were at least capable of being anything other than a failure of a child, and keeping Patton safe and getting him home was going to be the only way to prove it. 

Virgil sighed and ruffled his feathers. “As you wish. Let me know if you change your mind, okay?” With that, he flew off to perch atop Patton’s teapot, and Logan was once again left to their own thoughts. The small, strange quartet continued along the path towards the town of Pottsville; Logan composed poetry as the minutes passed, lamenting their situation, an unreciprocated love, a family torn apart. They barely noticed as they entered the township proper of Pottsville, too caught up in their composition. 

“Welcome to Pottsville. Stick close to me and don’t wander off, okay?” Remy’s voice called from the front. She paused and turned around, tail lashing behind her and violet eyes burning with fierce conviction. Overall, she was clearly not joking around right now, and Logan swallowed and nodded, unwilling to incur her wrath. 

“Okay!” Patton chirped, eyes already darting around to take in the sights. Logan sighed and walked forward, grabbing Patton’s hand to prevent him from running off. Virgil settled on their shoulder, Remy nodded her approval, and the group continued on, walking the seemingly deserted streets of Pottsville. Logan shivered, pulling their cloak closer around them as they contemplated why the town seemed so abandoned. All of the scenarios they could think of were not pleasant ones, so Logan desperately hoped that none of them were true. In seemingly no time at all, Remy came to a stop in front of a barn, the long plume of her black tail swaying languidly behind her as she sashayed up to the door. 

“In here,” she announced, jerking her nose towards the door. Logan cautiously stepped up to the door and pushed gently, the door creaking open easily. The group all slipped inside and Logan gently pushed the door closed behind them, allowing their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. Once they did, they wished their eyes had not as they felt all the blood rush from their cheeks and their heart thud to a stop. Figures cloaked entirely in cloth moved in strange, disjointed patterns to music as they all sang, slightly out of tune but still somewhat charming yet disturbing. Remy seemed to not display any signs of discomfort as she strolled forward, head held high. Logan reluctantly followed her, pulling Patton behind them while Virgil’s talons dug into their shoulder. 

  
The figures around them greeted Remy as she strolled past; Remy acknowledged the greetings and even returned them yet did not slow in her mission, continuing to wade through the crowd with two humans and a bluebird at her heels. She came to a stop in front of the largest figure in the room, jumping up atop a hay bale to look the figure in the eye. 

“Ah, Remy. Nice to see you again. What can I do for you?” the figure asked, coming to life. Logan shrieked at the sudden movement and shoved Patton behind them in an effort to protect him. The music stopped and every eye in the room turned to stare at them, causing Logan’s anxiety to spike even more. Remy ignored the stares and continued on with her mission, sitting down and smiling at the figure. 

“Well, Enoch, these two are lost and need a place to stay away from the Beast for a night or two. I figured you would give them sanctuary,” Remy drawled, tail flickering slightly. The giant hummed, contemplating Remy’s request, before straightening and walking over to loom over Logan and Patton. Virgil growled a bit and flitted over to Remy, leaving the two humans surrounded by masked figures and utterly trapped and at the mercy of these strangers. 

“Hello, little travellers. What are your names?” Logan gulped and hugged Patton closer to their side, still on-edge. Patton, however, had no such qualms, and immediately squirmed away from Logan to beam up at the terrifying figure. 

“I’m Patton, and that’s my brother Logan!” Logan flinched, still unwilling to correct Patton, even in the face of a stream of misgendering. Virgil and Remy both shot them curious looks, but the large pumpkin-headed figure, Enoch apparently, ignored that, peering down at Logan to inspect and judge them. 

“Well, Logan the Elder, why have you come?” Logan gulped and steadied their nerves before opening their mouth to speak. 

“I… we’re simple pilgrims, seeking sanctuary and a way to return home,” they called, voice crackling and wavering, from puberty or anxiety Logan could not tell. Enoch the pumpkin head leaned back, humming. He seemed to come to a consensus extremely quickly and nodded before leaning down again.    
  


“I can provide you with sanctuary from the Beast and directions home, but first, you and your brother must do a favour for me.” Logan nodded; the offer seemed reasonable enough, after all. Nothing in this world was ever free, Logan knew, even at the tender age of 14. Even love was not free; it must be earned. 

“The harvest season approaches. I need you and your brother to dig holes in our fields for the harvest. The day is not close to over yet, so you may start immediately.” Patton’s eyes dimmed a bit, but Logan took the offer gratefully, shepherding Patton out the door and following a helpful pumpkin-headed woman to the fields to begin their laborious task. She handed both Patton and they a shovel, and Logan moved to set to work before a clink and a hard jolt stopped them in their tracks. They looked down, horror slowly oozing across their features, as they noticed a ball and chain wrapped around their ankle. 

“Yeah, pal, we all have that except for Remy here,” Virgil’s voice called. Logan glanced up to find the bluebird glaring at his own ankle, a miniature ball and chain wrapped around it. Remy sat nearby, grooming herself, and she peered at Logan with slitted pupils. 

“Relax, it’s a precaution Enoch takes with everyone. If you do your work, you will be fine.” Logan bit their lip but set to digging, already desperate to be free. A mysterious sinking feeling had settled into their stomach, and though they had no clue as to why, they knew it was wise to do as instructed, lest they discover why they felt anxious. 

Of course, the universe was not kind to them, and they soon discovered the reason for their uneasy discomfort. Their shovel struck something hard, and a sickening crunch pierced Logan’s eardrums, spiraled down their spine, and settled into their very soul, causing Logan’s breathing to hitch as they stumbled back in horror. They brushed the dirt aside and found bones scattered all throughout this hole. There were bones of humans, the empty skull sockets peering up at them, passing judgement upon their stupid decision to come to this town. Logan’s breathing picked up as warm, sticky tears began to stream down their face. 

“Whoa, Logan! You okay?!” Virgil chirped, dragging himself over to the edge of the whole to peer down at Logan. Logan shook their head and sunk down, curling into a tight ball as they sobbed. “Logan, can you answer me?” 

“Lolo?” Patton called, young high voice soft with worry and care. Logan sniffed but could not settle their breathing or their heartbeat, the inevitability of their own death dangling over their head. 

A shuffling sound met Logan’s ears and they curled up tighter, crying harder, preparing to be buried alive. Instead, a warm lump of fur curled up next to them, gently hitting their side with something warm and soft. Logan startled and looked up, eyes still watering, to see Remy staring at them with wide, sympathetic eyes. 

“Logan, I assure you, you are not in any danger. Death is not coming for you today,” Remy soothed, placing a paw on Logan’s leg. Logan blinked, confused, and Remy smiled before explaining. “The residents of Pottsfield are all dead. The deceased belonging to the Unknown all are brought here to be given new life. You and your brother have merely freed the new residents. You will not be killed. You will not be buried. You are perfectly safe.” 

“My apologies for the reaction, then,” Logan sniffed, standing up and dusting off their pants. “Let me finish freeing this person, then.”

Logan finished digging out the whole and was lifted out by two of the Pottsfield residents, only having a moment to regain their footing before almost toppling over from the force of Patton’s hug. Virgil settled onto Logan’s shoulder and Remy wound herself around Logan’s legs. The pumpkin-headed leader of Pottsville— Enoch, if Logan remembered correctly— strolled up to them, leaning down and blinking languidly into Logan’s eyes. 

“My thanks for completing this task for me. Join us for the festival before staying in the inn for the night. I assure you, no harm shall come to you while you rest here.” Logan nodded shakily, attempting to convey their immense thanks, but Virgil managed to pick up on their thoughts and voiced them for Logan. 

“Thank you for not killing us, Pumpkin King,” Virgil chirped. Enoch and Remy burst into laughter, and soon enough, Logan and Virgil joined them. Patton had apparently already made friends with the locals and had joined the festivities, Logan soon being lead over by Remy and Enoch, Virgil perched on their shoulder. Logan relaxed slightly upon feeling the cheer radiating from the residents and walked over to the table laden with harvested foods, picking up a small ear of corn and nibbling on it. 

They are quickly yanked into the festivities, pulled into a dance by Enoch himself. Logan silently thanked Joan for teaching them how to do a square dance at one point, glad they were not making a fool of themself as a result. Enoch laughed in a deep, rich tenor and spun Logan a bit. Logan blinked, trying to regain their balance, and some other person gently grabbed their shoulders to help steady them. Logan finally regained their bearings and went to thank the person, yet they beat them to speaking. 

“Logan, yes? My immense thanks for freeing me,” the person said, voice high and dripping with sincere gratitude. Logan blinked, confused, as their brain processed the statement. The pieces eventually slotted into place, and they flushed, stammering out an awkward “It was nothing.” The girl giggled and pecked them on the cheek before vanishing into the crowd, leaving Logan standing there, frozen in shock and embarrassment. 

“Does Logan have a crush?” Patton asked, Logan startling as they felt a tug on their cloak. 

“No, no I do not,” they snapped. “She was expressing her gratitude for digging her out.” 

“But she kissed you. Kissing only happens when someone likes someone else,” Patton answered, eyes wide with certainty. “Kind of like you and Joan.” 

“We’re not talking about Joan,” Logan gritted out. “You know what? Just… find Virgil. Enjoy the party. I’m going to find the inn.” With that, they stalked off, leaving Patton standing alone in the middle of the dance floor, confused. 

* * *

“Good luck, travelers. Remember to trust no one you meet along the way,” Enoch called after the small group as they traveled on the path out of Pottsville. Logan waved goodbye, silent in contemplation, while Patton yelled back his thanks. Soon enough, the four of them were engulfed by the thick trees, and Logan paused. 

“How are we getting home?” they asked, panic clenching their windpipe smaller. Virgil blinked and turned around, head cocking to the side. 

“Um, well… there’s this witch I’ve heard of. Talyn. They can most likely get you home?” Virgil shrugged at the end, looking uncertain, and while Logan was about to suggest finding another way if Virgil was not sure, Patton jumped in, excited. 

“Yes! Let’s go find Talyn!” Patton cheered before bursting into song. Logan groaned and rolled their eyes, pulling their hat further over their ears in a vain attempt to block out Patton’s off-key, high-pitched singing. 

“Your brother is really something else, isn’t he?” Virgil commented, landing on Logan’s shoulder. “Probably has a lot of friends back home.” 

“Oh, he does. More than I do, at least. Hell, I’m convinced most of my classmates are closer with him than with me,” Logan answered, hoping the quaver in their voice had not been heard. 

“Relax, Logan. You still have time to make friends. You just have to get to know people. You have time if you get back home.” Logan stopped, breath wheezing out of their lungs as their legs shook. Virgil’s beak snapped shut as he took in Logan’s state, the pieces connecting in a horrifying picture, and he flew off to grab Remy’s tail and bring the cat’s attention back to the panicking teen. They turned, tail swishing in irritation (Virgil realized with a start that he could tell Remy’s pronouns had switched. He did not want to know how he knew), before their eyes fell on the panicking Logan, who had sunk to the ground and curled up into a ball. Remy dashed over, Patton close behind, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

“Logan, sweetheart, can you hear me?” Remy meowed, rubbing against their leg. They just curled into themself even more, and Remy backed off instantly. Patton, however, did not comprehend what was going on, and pulled Logan into a hug, ignoring the way Logan’s breathing worsened and tears started to fall faster. 

“Lolo, it’s okay. Do I need to kiss away the hurt?” Virgil gritted his teeth and shot Remy a look, the black cat understanding instantly and curling their tail around Patton’s wrist. 

“Patton, sweetie, let’s give Logan some space,” they murmured. Patton shook his head stubbornly and clung tighter. 

“No, hugging always makes me feel better, so it has to make Logan feel better too!” Patton insisted. Virgil shook his head, scarily in unison with Logan’s, but luckily Remy was calm and collected, trying to get Patton to let go by himself. 

“Sometimes hugs don’t work, sweetie. Logan’s told me hugs don’t work. Why don’t you let go and you can maybe hug him later, okay?” Patton blinked but complied, slowly letting go and shuffling away, Remy following him and allowing Virgil to calm Logan down. 

“Okay, Logan, can you breathe in for 4 seconds with me? Then hold for 7, and exhale for 8. Can you do that with me?” Virgil asked softly, perching on the ground in front of Logan. He exaggerated his breathing, and slowly, slower than Virgil would like, Logan managed to match Virgil’s breathing. 

“My… my apologies, that was silly of me,” Logan mumbled. Virgil shook his head and hopped closer, glaring up at Logan. 

“Nope, not silly, don’t apologize,” he growled. “I made you panic by being an ass.” 

“But you’re right-” 

“No! You’re going to get back home! I’m making sure of it!” Virgil yelled, feathers puffing up. Logan flinched, and Virgil lowered his voice to continue talking. “You’re getting home, Logan. I’m sorry for suggesting that you won’t.” 

“It… it is quite alright, Virgil,” Logan murmured, voice ringing clear in the near-silent air around them. “I know you didn’t meant to.” 

“Good. You’re going to get home, Logan, you and Patton. Now, let’s find a place for the night.” Logan nodded and stood up, scooping up Virgil and continuing along the path, ignoring the sad eyes of Patton staring at their back. 

* * *

That night, Virgil watched and waited, ensuring that both humans were asleep before taking off, flying through the air, relying on the magic of the Unknown to allow him to reach his location faster. The Unknown listened, perhaps knowing how important his task was, and he landed on the windowsill of the house after only a few minutes of flying. 

“Come in, come in, you know I don’t like the horrid night air,” a voice rasped out. Virgil slipped inside, leaving the window cracked so he could quickly escape if needed. 

“Talyn. I can’t do it.” The witch in front of him froze and turned, amber eyes flashing dangerously. Virgil shoved down the anxiety and glared up at Talyn, refusing to back down this time. This was important; he could not allow any harm to come to Logan or Patton, not after he had discovered a growing attachment to both of them. 

“So you’re going back on our deal? Is your family really that much more important?” Talyn growled, voice dripping with sweet poisoned honey. Virgil rolled his eyes and fluffed his feathers in defiance, giving the bird equivalent of a smirk to Talyn. 

“My family would approve of my choice, so fuck off. Goodbye forever.” With that, Virgil hopped off the windowsill and flew away, ignoring the screeching curses Talyn hurled at him. He laughed, feeling the lightness of freedom from his devil’s bargain washing over him. The Unknown, sensing his happiness, allowed him to find his group again, this time much faster. 

He landed on the branch above Logan, ruffling out his feathers before settling in, only to be startled by the smooth voice of Remy. 

“Where were you, Chickadee?” Remy growled, tail swishing and violet eyes narrowed. Virgil froze, feathers puffing up in fear, as he turned to meet the glowing, vicious eyes of the black cat. 

“Remember how I mentioned Talyn?” 

“Yes, I was wondering what your game was, bringing up an evil witch who is known to kidnap and damage children,” Remy hissed, eyes narrowed. Virgil flinched back but stood his ground, determined to not cow before Remy. 

“I made a deal with them.” 

“You  _ what _ ,” Remy hissed, claws unsheathing. Virgil took a deep breath and finished. 

“And I basically just told them to fuck off because I’m not helping them anymore.” Remy snorted, hackles instantly lowering. Virgil giggled a bit with them, and all the tension evaporated from the air almost instantly. 

“That… that was brilliant,” Remy gasped out, tears leaking from their eyes. Virgil nodded, still giggling, and leaned into Remy. 

  
“They’ll be safe,” Virgil whispered. Remy purred in agreement, and that is how the two of them fell asleep, curled into each other’s sides and content rumbling up through their  throats .


	2. Sorrow And Fear Are Easily Forgotten

“ Let’s go in there! Someone could tell us how to get to Talyn’s!” Patton crowed, sprinting towards the inn that had just come into view. Remy, Logan, and Virgil followed behind at their normal pace, taking in the crisp, peaceful autumn air. Logan hunched deeper into their cloak, nervous about the prospect of social interaction. They had never been good with interacting with people; why should they be expected to talk to a crowded building full of strangers? 

“Logan, you seem really on-edge. Anything you need to say?” Virgil asked, gently pecking Logan’s ear to get their attention. Logan paused in the road, allowing the wind to billow their cloak around them as they turned to look at Remy and Virgil, who had flown off their shoulder and landed on Remy. 

“Yes. I… have not been honest with you two, I believe.” Remy’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, as did Virgil’s, and Logan quickly moved to explain themself. “I am not male or female. I would prefer to be addressed with they and them?” 

“Geez, Specs, why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Virgil asked, relaxing almost instantly. Remy nodded, tail flicking behind him. 

“Logan, I switch pronouns on an almost daily basis. Why would I judge?” Remy drawled, strutting over to rub against Logan’s leg in a show of support. Virgil flew off him and landed on Logan’s shoulder. Logan let out a shaky sigh of relief and pulled Remy and Virgil into a hug, thankful that their new friends cared enough to not judge them for something integral to who they were. 

“That… yes, that was silly of me. My thanks for understanding,” Logan murmured, scratching between Remy’s ears and ruffling Virgil’s feathers now that he once again perched on Logan’s shoulder. “Now, we should go make sure that Patton does not get into trouble, yes? We have left him unsupervised for far too long.” 

“Oh shit, you’re right!” Virgil shrieked, flying off at top speed into the tavern to check on Patton. Logan chuckled and picked up Remy, following closely behind the anxious bluebird, their mismatched shoes gently making divots in the dirt as they walked. Their shoes hit the smooth stone in front of the tavern, and, with a final deep sigh, they pushed open the heavy pine door and entered the bustling, screaming tavern. Their eyes swept around, trying in vain to find Patton, when a sudden screech from Virgil drew their attention. 

“Patton, no! Get away from him!” Virgil yelled. Logan’s heart stuttered to a stop. Patton was in danger! They practically vaulted over a table, cloak flying up, and dashed towards Virgil’s voice, skidding to a stop and colliding with a large warm object. They slipped, falling onto their bottom, and groaned, blinking to clear their vision as they frantically tried to find Patton. 

“Whoa, kiddo!” a young man chuckled, reaching out a hand to pull Logan up. Logan took it, not thinking, and allowed themself to be pulled back to their feet, still searching for Patton… who was apparently banging on the piano and causing a general ruckus, much to the annoyance of nearby patrons. “You okay?” Logan blinked and forced their eyes to focus back on the man who was holding them up, giving the man a shaky smile. 

“Yes, I am quite alright. My thanks for your concern.” The young man nodded and stepped back once he was certain Logan could remain standing and turned to Patton, a small smile fixed on his lips. 

“Hey, maybe don’t bang on the piano?” the young man asked. “You’re upsetting other people.” Patton stopped and turned to look at the man, blinking. 

“Okay!” he answered, a giant smile stretching across his face. “Plus, I found Logan, so we can leave!”

“We still need to find out how to get to Talyn’s house,” Logan reminded him, squeezing their brother’s shoulder to hold Patton back from charging out of the tavern. “Actually, sir, do you know of a witch named Talyn? We’re looking for them.” 

The young man’s face drained of colour. “Talyn? No, no, kiddos, you can’t go there. That’s a very bad idea.” 

“Why?” Patton asked, head cocking to the side in confusion. Logan’s blood froze in their veins as their mind furiously began to process what was going on. Virgil was leading them into a death trap. Virgil was trying to get them killed. Virgil was not, in fact, someone they could trust. 

“Talyn works for the Beast,” the young man explained in a hushed whisper. “And the Beast is notorious for killing children.” Logan turned to Virgil, eyes wide and vision fogging up. Virgil sighed and hopped up onto Logan’s head, gently pecking them, as the young man continued to talk. “He takes the souls of hopeless, lost children and turns them into trees!” 

“He lurks out there in the Unknown, stealing souls far from home,” another woman whispered, eyes wide and haunted. “He will never let you return home.” 

The young man took over, gently guiding Logan over to a table to let them sit down. “Beware, the Beast is out there. Be smart. Don’t believe his lies.” 

“Virgil, why were you leading us to someone who works for this monster?” Logan whispered, voice shaking. The bluebird sighed again and nestled into their hair, waves of comfort radiating off of him into Logan. 

“I was supposed to hand you over to Talyn. I told them no about two night ago, and have been trying to get you to leave them alone ever since,” Virgil explained. “I promise, I won’t let you or Patton get hurt. Not anymore.” 

“T-thank you, Virgil,” Logan whispered. “I… my apologies for jumping to conclusions.” 

“You’re fine, you had every reason to,” Virgil answered, flippancy flowing through his words. 

“Anyway! Stay, children, and have some food! You’re safe here,” the young man from earlier called, shoving a glass of rum into Logan’s hands. Logan took the rum and stared at it, debating whether or not it would be rude to not drink it, when the entire tavern burst into rowdy song. 

“I’ll be outside, come get me when you’re done,” Virgil muttered, flying out through the open tavern window. Logan grabbed Patton’s hand, determined to keep him close, and settled in awkwardly between loud, boisterous men and women swishing beers around as they sang off-key drinking songs about having sex with just about anything. Patton, thankfully, did not try to drink any alcohol, while Logan slowly took a sip of their glass after prodding from multiple people. An embarrassed flush sat on their cheeks the entire time as they were too shy to ask to leave. Patton, thankfully, had no such issue, and managed to get the adults to agree to let them leave after a couple hours. Logan quickly bustled their younger sibling and Remy out of the tavern and began to search for Virgil. 

“Virgil?” Logan called softly, stepping on the leaves as they began to walk around the boundaries of the tavern. Patton followed, hugging Remy close to his chest, much to the cat’s clear chagrin. No answer followed their question, however, merely the whisper of the brisk autumn wind. Logan shivered and hugged their cloak tighter around them and kept searching. 

“Virgil?” Logan is truly beginning to get worried. 

“I found him!” Patton called. Logan whipped around and dashed towards the sound of their brother’s voice, skidding to a stop and pulse rocketing as their eyes sent the proper signals and their brain finally processed the input from the eyes. 

The Woodsman from earlier stood over Virgil’s unmoving form, axe slung over his shoulder. Patton was currently in the process of kicking at the Woodsman, as he was being held aloft. Remy was on the forest floor, hissing at the Woodsman while standing over Virgil protectively. 

“What are you doing, boy?” The Woodsman growled, singular yellow eye flashing. Patton yelped and kicked harder, his blows still not landing. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” He shook Patton, causing the yelps to turn into high-pitched whines of pain. “Why are you still here?!” 

The sight of their brother in pain, in danger, from the mountain of a man who had almost killed them earlier, snapped Logan out of their trance, and they charged forward, lashing out at the Woodsman’s knee with their foot. His leg crumpled from the force of Logan’s blow and he dropped Patton to grab his knee. Logan took the opportunity to dash forward, grab Patton just before he hit the ground, and keep running into the woods. 

“Remy! Grab Virgil!” Logan called back. They didn’t pause to see if Remy had listened and kept running, determined to get Patton to safety as far away from the crazy, violent Woodsman as possible. 

After about half an hour of running, Logan stopped and leaned against a tree, huffing. “Patton… you okay?” 

“I’m fine, Logan. Can you put me down?” Patton requested, squirming a bit. 

“Of course, Patton,” Logan breathed out, setting him down before brushing him off. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you in any way?” 

“I’m fine! Just a couple bruises I think. Thanks for rescuing me!” Patton beamed, throwing his arms around Logan and hugging his waist. Logan let out a quick huff of air, startled, but slowly began to relax into the grip. 

“Cute. Are we camping here for the night?” Remy called, interrupting the moment. Logan pulled back and turned to face the black cat, who was currently curled around a still-sleeping Virgil. 

“Y-yeah… yes we are,” Logan answered, sliding down against a tree and curling up into a ball. “We’ll… just get some sleep here, I suppose.” 

“Good plan. Good night.” With that, Remy was asleep, with Logan and Patton soon to follow, as Logan lay on their back and stared up at the half-moon. How long had it been a half-moon, they pondered. After all, it had been a half-moon at the start of their journey, about 5 days ago. Actually… had it been five days? How long had they been here? 

“Stupid Logan, you don’t have time to think about that,” Logan muttered, rolling over and forcing their brain to stop. They needed to sleep now, not have an existential crisis. “It’s just a weird part of a strange world in the queer reality I find myself in.” With that, they surrendered to the siren song of sleep, curled up around Patton. 

* * *

The Woodsman sighed as he entered his house, placing the wretched lantern on the table. He had failed again. The oil he had was running out fast, and after those boys had destroyed the mill, he had nothing left to produce the edelwood oil to fuel the lantern. And once he ran out of oil to fuel the lantern… 

“Oh, Dee, darling… I don’t see a young boy here,” the smooth, rich baritone more familiar to him than his own voice came from behind. He screeched and spun around to face a handsome red-head with too-bright green eyes lounging on his couch, legs loosely crossed and chin propped on one long-fingered hand. 

“His brother kicked my kneecap out of alignment and ran,” the Woodsman grumbled, trying desperately to mask his fear. After all, this was a being who held the entire Unknown in his hands. Should the Woodsman anger him in any way, he would not hesitate to crush him underfoot like the cockroach he was. 

“Aw, Dee, sweetie, of course that isn’t your fault,” the red-head sighed, slowly standing, body swaying elegantly with just a hint of danger to his movements. “Of course… you know what happens now.” The Woodsman gulped and frantically stepped back, grabbing the lantern as the tall forest spirit advanced, shadow lengthening and shifting to reveal his true, antlered form. “Now, you have to go after them again. You want to see your dear old son again, don’t you? What was his name again? Timothy?” 

“Thomas,” the Woodsman stammered out. “And… my knee still isn’t fixed.” 

The Beast, for that was who the fire-haired young man was, clucked his tongue. “Well, I’ll just have to fix that, won’t I?” Tree branches flowed out from his cloak and across the ground, spidering up the Woodsman’s leg. He gasped, holding back a flinch, as the tree branches retracted back into his patron, his knee now fully healed. “There. Fixed. Any more silly excuses?” 

“They’re just children, My Lord… why them? Can you not let them go?” The Beast drew himself up to his full height, a dark, toothy grin crossing his face, and the Woodsman instantly knew he had said the wrong thing. 

“Would you prefer to take their place, then? I must say, you  _ are  _ starting to grate on my nerves…” The green eyes flashed and the shadow began to merge with the body, creating a twisted, shadowy abomination towering over the Woodsman with a leering grin and pink-blue-yellow-white eyes glowing and tearing into the depths of his mortal soul. “Of course, I could also take your little Thomathy as well. I’m sure he would  _ love  _ to know his father is the reason behind all the recent disappearances, all the recent children becoming trees, the reason he can barely remember anything of his past. Would you like that?” 

“No, no, not that!” the Woodsman screamed, cowering under the sheer force of power resonating in the oaky baritone. 

“ _ Then toss that silly mortal conscience away, Woodsman. You gave it up the second you agreed to bear my lantern, _ ” the Beast hissed, shadows reaching out to coil around the Woodsman and freeze him in place as the Beast moved closer until his cold breath was right against the Woodsman lips. “ _ Is that understood? _ ”

The Woodsman nodded, and the Beast chuffed out a small laugh before planting a cold, hard kiss on the Woodsman’s forehead and stepping back. “Good boy. Now go, fetch me those children. Time’s a wastin~!” With that, he melted into the shadows, leaving behind a singular shaken, heartbroken human with an impossibly dark task ahead of him. 

* * *

Logan blinked awake to find themself in a clearing ringed with leafless, skeletal trees, branches black as oil and trunk filled with strange patterns. Logan padded closer to inspect the trees, curious as to what would cause the strange patterns of trunk growth, but did not even reach the trees. 

“Hello, stranger,” a smooth, suave voice called, echoing and oozing from every corner in the small, mist-shrouded glade. “I wished to have a chat.” 

“What form of a chat?” Logan called back, stepping backwards slowly, spinning around cautiously to try and glimpse their companion. A low chuckle sounded, all the hairs on Logan’s arms raising, as they spun around, desperately searching for a way out. 

“Why, a greeting! A welcome, to our humble abode of the Unknown!” A handsome red-haired man stepped out of the fog, his green eyes shining brightly in the dim lighting. Logan’s breath caught in their throat as the man approached and they took in every detail they could, from his sharp cheekbones to the perfect curve of his lips to the slope of his nose to the graceful way he walked, toes pointed and footsteps soft like a ballerina. His grin was so bright it could have lit up entire cities. Logan was instantly enamoured. 

( _ “But aren’t you ace?” Logan remembered asking of their friend.  _

_ “Yes, but I still have  _ eyes _ ,” their friend shot back. Logan is finally beginning to understand what they meant. _ )

“Um, I, er… I do not know how I got here in the first place, but… thank you?” Logan stammered out. The red-head smirked and gently grabbed Logan’s hand, placing a kiss upon it. 

“Of course, my darling prince,” he murmured, causing a dark flush to erupt on Logan’s cheeks. 

“No, I am not a prince, not in the slightest,” Logan managed to finally say. The red-head bowed again, regret tainting his perfect smile. 

“Of course, my apologies,” he smoothly answered. Logan nodded before freezing, a cold sensation tingling down their spine. There was something they needed to ask, something- 

“Where am I? Where is Patton? Virgil? Remy?” Logan asked, eyes widening and panic bubbling with every word. Where was everyone? They did not recognize this glade or this person at all. “What did you do to them?!” 

The red-head’s smile turned icy. “I just wish to speak with you, Logan.” Logan’s blood froze. 

“How do you know my name?” they whispered, too scared to speak louder, scared of shattering the tentative silence. The red-head chuckled and glided forward, his shadow morphing into a twisted abomination behind him. 

“I know everything about you, Logan. Your hyperfixations on poetry and the stars. Your resentment of your younger brother. Your best-kept secret about who you are. Even your adorable little crush on your best friend,” he chuckled. 

“Squish, actually. Crush implies I feel romantic feelings,” Logan corrected, holding up an index finger. 

The fire-touched demon paused, scowled, and continued. “Regardless, I know everything about you, yet you know nothing about me. As you can see, you have no power right now, so you may as well-” 

“I know enough,” Logan interrupted. “You are clearly a flirt, which does not bode well for my sanity. You are egotistical, a tad narcissistic, inhuman, and loud. I know all I need to know to say that you are a dick.” 

“Rude!” the demon screeched, the shadows flaring around the two as the trees closed in. Logan’s eyes widened, the puzzle pieces connecting in their mind. 

“You’re the Beast,” Logan breathed. 

An awful smirk crossed his face, displaying fangs and gleaming, swirling, spiralling pink-blue-yellow-white eyes that glowed like moons. “Well, aren’t you a smart cookie?” he cooed, stretching out one finger so its shadow touched Logan’s chin. He crooked his finger, and Logan felt their chin being lifted, despite only being touched by shadow. “A pleasure to meet you.” 

“You’re not going to be able to turn Patton or I into trees,” Logan blurted out. “We still have hope that we will get home.” 

“Oh, do you? Hope is easily lost,” the Beast whispered, eyes gleaming with malice. Logan forced themself to outwardly relax, allowing their eyes to roll in boredom and face to smooth in annoyance. 

“Yes, it can be. But you are certainly not helping me to lose mine,” Logan drawled, hoping the demon could not hear their voice shaking. 

The Beast growled and stepped back, the shadows writhing and curling around him as he took on his true form. Logan stifled a scream and tried to run, tripping over tree roots in the process. The shadowy abomination, with glowing white disks and a wide, fanged grin leaned over them, resting a clawed hand in their hair. “Well, we’ll see about that, won’t we, little Gnome?” With that, he yanked Logan’s head up before slamming it into the ground with enough force to shatter their skull. Logan screamed, preparing for impact- 

And bolted upright, smacking against the tree trunk, breath heaving from their lungs and heart attempting to crack their ribcage and escape their chest. A high pitched whimper flowed from their vocal chords as they curled into a ball, shaking and desperately trying to calm down. Nothing was working, however, and in some distant corner of their mind, they knew they should wake Virgil, yet they could not move, muscles locked in their panic. 

“Logan, sweetheart? Can you look at me?” Remy’s soft voice cut through their brain. Logan startled and let out a screech, pedaling backwards into the tree they were already leaning against. A soft sigh met their attempts, and a warm weight pressed down against their leg. “Logan… I’m not going to hurt you.” 

“R-Remy…?” Logan stammered, voice hedging between a whimper and a sob. They needed to know, they had to know they were safe, they had to know the Beast was not here to kill them again. 

“It’s me. Should I wake up Virgil?” Logan nodded, and Remy slowly padded a few steps to the right to shake awake the violet bluebird. A few sleepy grumbles followed, then a few frantic hushed whispers, and then more shuffling. Logan curled up into a tighter ball before they felt a warm, feathery bundle land on their head. 

“Hey, L. Could you count and breathe with me?” Virgil murmured. Logan nodded carefully and then began to breathe in time with Virgil’s counting, allowing their heart to calm and lungs to remember how to properly do their job. 

“There we are, Logan,” Virgil soothed after Logan’s body had calmed. “What’s wrong?” 

How could they tell him, Logan thought, about the visit from the Beast? They were all in danger, but… perhaps, if they did not know, they could be safe. Perhaps the Beast would only come for Logan. 

“I do not know,” they whispered. “But my thanks for the assistance. Please get some sleep.” With that, they rolled over and went back to sleep, only registering Virgil’s heavy, care-laden sigh before they drifted off. 

* * *

“What part of this looks like a good idea?!” Virgil screeched, fluttering up a bit to be able to glare down at Remy. “You think they can just waltz onto this ferry with no money?” 

“Hey, you have any better ideas of a place to search?” Remy snapped. “Back across the river is Pottsfield, and Enoch will probably know what to do.” 

“Yeah, but we have no  _ money _ ,” Virgil insisted. “And I don’t want to see what they would do about that.” 

“Perhaps you two may start by lowering your voices,” Logan snapped, voice dripping icicles into their souls. “Considering that we are currently on said ferry, perhaps we should not draw attention to ourselves.” 

“Oh… yeah, you’re right. Sorry L,” Virgil mumbled, wincing. “Just a little bit longer, though, so… let’s hope.” 

A large anthropomorphic frog waddled up at that exact moment, unfortunately, hand extended. “Where’s your payment?” 

“Um… I’m in the band and this is my brother,” Logan quickly blurted. “And these are his pets. I also seem to have lost my instrument?” Remy and Virgil shot Logan looks brimming with incredulity, concern and fear burning through Virgil’s body. What was Logan doing, they were going to get them all  _ killed _ . 

“Oh, of course sir!” The frog immediately backed down, face splitting into an unsettlingly large grin. “What’s your instrument again?” 

“I play woodwinds,” Logan replied, hiding their fidgeting hands underneath their cloak. “Anything is fine.” 

“Then I’ll be right back and the band can start!” With that, the frog hopped away, and Logan slowly turned to face their companions, sheepishness staining every part of their face. 

“Are you  _ crazy _ ?” Virgil hissed. “You can’t possibly think this is going to work!” 

“Just… trust me,” Logan murmured. “I can get us out of here safely.” They didn’t have any more time to discuss anything, however, as the frog came back holding a fully assembled bassoon. Logan simply blinked and took it, thanking the frog before following him up to the bandstand to greet the rest of the band. 

“That’s a funny looking clarinet,” Patton observed, rubbing his chin with his hand. “I guess clarinets look different in the Unknown?” Virgil and Remy exchanged highly panicked looks before spinning to stare down Patton. 

“Patton, no, that is a bassoon,” Remy stated, tail lashing behind him. “Does Logan play clarinet?”

“Yeah, it’s the only thing he plays,” Patton answered, still grinning somehow. “He’s really good, too.” 

“... we’re all about to die,” Virgil announced, sitting down in a ball on the deck, trembling. “Logan’s going to be really bad and it will be obvious we’re all liars and-” The first notes of the first song by the band permeated the air, causing everyone to pause and just absorb the beautiful atmosphere. There Logan stood in the centre, playing bassoon, the instrument somehow not screeching at all despite the intense differences between it and a clarinet. In fact, Logan almost sounded like a trained bassoonist. Patton did not seem to think too much of this, instead dancing around the deck laughing softly while Logan played for their safe passage. 

Virgil and Remy remained in the corner, simply staring at the human they had ventured with for upwards of a week and a half now. Perhaps they had been hiding secrets from them. That thought caused something cold and hard to settle in Virgil’s stomach as his mind spiraled to other places. He roughly shook his head and refocused on Logan, determined to not miss a gorgeous note of his stellar performance. 

Soon enough, the boat docked and everyone filed off, Remy and Virgil waiting with Patton on the shore for Logan. Soon, they trudged off, free of the bassoon and looking happier than Virgil had seen them all journey. The anxiety seemed to have lifted from their shoulders as they played, all the worries and stress of the journey melting away and simply leaving their true self shining through for the first time. Virgil smiled softly back on reflex, finally relaxing in Logan’s presence now that they had relaxed. 

“You didn’t tell us you could play like that,” Remy said as soon as Logan walked up to them, voice as flat as his fur in that moment. Logan simply shrugged and picked Virgil up, settling him on their shoulder, before beginning to walk along the path back towards Pottsfield. 

“It did not seem important in any capacity,” they simply answered, eyes fixed ahead. “I am frankly surprised that the bassoon did not screech every other note, considering my embouchure is optimized for clarinet and not a double reed.” 

“I have no idea what half of those words you just said mean,” Virgil stated bluntly, feathers still a bit puffed up, “but I support you, you strange musician.”

“It did sound quite lovely,” Remy commented, padding along beside Logan as Patton dashed and danced and sang ahead of them. “You could make quite the living playing.” Logan flushed at the praise, ducking their head to hide the red tint to their cheeks. 

“I… am glad you think so,” they answered, smiling softly down at the cat. “I honestly hope to pursue a career in poetry, but music would not be a bad alternative.” Virgil was about to answer, to chime in, to add his own compliments, when Logan was yanked out from under him by an unseen force and dragged off into the forest, screaming, the peaceful atmosphere shattering in the space of a few seconds. 

Virgil tried to fly after them but hit an unseen barrier, shaking his head to clear the static erupting within it. Remy did not seem to be faring much better, ears flat to his skull and fur bristled in clear discomfort. 

“Where’s Logan?” Patton’s soft, high voice came from behind the two. Slowly, Remy and Virgil turned to see the teary eyes of the young child staring at them, accusations and sadness spilling from his eyes onto the soft forest floor below. 

“We’re… we’re going to go get Logan back,” Virgil soothed, fluttering over in front of Patton. “Everything will be ok-” 

“Talyn has Logan, don’t they,” Remy broke in, voice shaking with uncontained anger. “Talyn has Logan and we couldn’t do anything.” 

“That’s…” Virgil would have been crying had he still been human. “Yeah…” 

“But you know where Talyn lives, right? You can get him back!” Patton cried, tears falling freely down his cheeks. “You can get him back, right? You can save my brother!” 

“Of course, Patton,” Remy soothed. “But you’re going to need to listen. Talyn is dangerous, and we need you to stay out of danger. Please stay hidden, okay? Virgil and I will get Logan, but we need you to stay safe.”    
  


“I… okay,” Patton mumbled, swiping at his face to clear the tears. “Let’s go get him.” 

* * *

“What do you want from me, exactly?” Logan asked, straining against the ropes binding them to a pole in the middle of the living room. The witch merely chuckled and walked around them, the sound of scissors snipping setting all of Logan’s nerves on fire. 

“I want a child servant,” Talyn crooned, crouching down in front of Logan, an unsettling grin painted across their face. “And you’re perfect.” 

“I would not say that,” Logan answered, trying to push themself away from the witch to no avail, discomfort screaming through their mind. “I am quite bad at following orders.” 

A chuckle was their only response before clawed fingers grabbed their chin and forced their head back, forcing them to look into the eyes of their captor. 

“Once I stuff your head with wool, you’ll be a perfectly obedient little boy, so no need to worry about that,” Talyn whispered, evil dripping from their smile. “The Beast is finally letting me take my own servant after serving him well all these years, and you’re the lucky winner.” 

“I do not consider this winning at all. Now, if you could please release me,” Logan bit out, frantically squirming in their bonds. Talyn laughed some more and jerked a single fist backwards, tightening the ropes around Logan. They gasped, choked, coughing, wheezing for air, but Talyn did not loosen their grip. 

“Now, we don’t talk back in this household,” Talyn tutted, looking almost innocent for a brief instant. “I think I might just stuff your head now. If I have any issues with you later, I can always just hand you over to the Beast.” Logan’s heart tried to jump from their chest, brain sending the signal to release far too much adrenaline into their veins in the process. This was it. They were going to die at the hands of a crazy witch in the middle of an insane forest in the most illogical way possible. 

“Oh no you don’t!” Virgil’s voice called from behind Talyn. Talyn slowly turned to stare at the lavender bluebird perched on the windowsill, glaring with the hatred of a thousand suns at Talyn. “Let them go.” 

“Oh, Virgil? Would you like to take their place then?” Talyn asked, voice dripping with venomous honey. “Remember that I still have those scissors to fix you.” They held up a golden set carved like bird wings before setting them on the bed, smirking. 

“No, I want you to let us both go,” Virgil growled, inching closer to the window. Logan felt something tugging at their bonds behind the pillar but remained still, not wanting to give away a possible rescue attempt. 

“Well one of us isn’t going to get what we want, then,” Talyn answered, shrugging, voice matter-of-fact. “Guess those scissors stay with me…” 

“I guess so.” With that, Virgil kicked open the window, allowing Patton to scramble in. Talyn, however, had a much more violent reaction to the open window. 

“No, no, close that, the night air is poisonous!” they shrieked, lunging towards Virgil. However, every step they took slowed down exponentially, their limbs stiffening and hardening and skin turning grey and marbled. Just before their fingers would have brushed Virgil, they froze forever, face twisted up in a grotesque abomination of a human face, frozen forever in agony as the young bluebird stared on in horror at what he had done. Logan barely felt the ropes binding them fall away, still staring in horror at their once-captor, now forever a statue in their house forever, all because of a bit of night air. 

“Come on, sweetheart, there we go,” Remy’s voice murmured in Logan’s ear. They barely registered standing up and being guided to the front door by Remy. They register their hand shooting out to grab the scissors, thinking briefly that those may be important later. Remy’s soothing voice continued. Virgil landed heavily on Logan’s shoulder at some point as they walked out the door. 

  
“H-how will we get home now?” Logan asked, their quiet voice breaking. Remy gently patted the back of their leg and nudged them forward, Virgil’s telling silence the only answer Logan would ever  need .


	3. (When You) Submit To The Soil Of The Earth

“Hey Logan, Patton, stay here, okay? Virgil and I are going to find food,” Remy murmured, gently nuzzling her head into Logan’s ribcage. They didn’t reply, remaining curled into a ball among roots growing out of their skin. Somehow, there was no blood, something that disturbed both Remy and Virgil to no end. They knew this was the work of the Beast, yet they had no idea how to fix it. The best they could do, they had decided, was to just try and keep Logan alive until they could get them home. They were so close, they knew. All Logan had to do was hold on just a little bit longer. 

The cat and the bluebird left, leaving the two humans alone. “Hey, Logan! Want to play a game?” Patton asked, breaking the silence with his soft, sweet voice. 

“I’m tired, Patton,” Logan answered, voice flat. They curled up into a tighter ball, pulling their cloak around them. “You can play with Remy and Virgil when they get back.” 

“Okay! Do you want me to sing a song?” Patton’s smile was two seconds from crumbling as he desperately tried to think of something to make his big brother smile again. He was not blind. He saw the roots growing from Logan and how they were creeping closer to the ground, growing closer to becoming permanently planted. Patton knew that would kill Logan and was determined to try and do anything to keep his brother alive. 

“No, Patton. I’m tired and I just want to sleep,” Logan sighed, their eyes sliding shut. Patton began to panic and wracked his brain, thinking of anything that would keep Logan fighting until Remy and Virgil got back and could fix this. 

“Could you tell me some poetry? I want to hear!” 

“No you don’t, Patton, you hate poetry.” 

Patton’s cheeks puffed out. “That’s not true!” Logan let out a single weak chuckle and fell silent again, cheeks rapidly paling at the same pace as their breath slowed. Patton bit his lip and swiped at his eyes, determined not to cry. He had to save Logan! He couldn’t just sit back and let his big brother die. Dad would cry if that happened, and then Papa would be sad, and then Patton would get blamed and his parents would stop loving him because he let Logan die. 

“Oh, hush little one, there’s no need to cry,” a low voice purred from behind him. “Everything is okay.” 

Patton turned around to see a tall man with long branch-like antlers extending out from his soft red hair. His grin was filled with fangs and his pink, blue, and yellow eyes glowed unnaturally, but he did not seem to want to hurt Patton. He looked friendly. 

“No it’s not okay! Logan is dying and I don’t know how to stop it!” Patton wailed, finally letting a few of his tears slip down his face. “And if I don’t stop him from dying, our parents will hate me!” 

The tall red-haired man knelt down and brushed Patton’s tears away. “Hush now. I’m afraid your brother has been claimed by the Beast.” 

“What?” Patton sniffed. “So… so he’s going to die?” 

“Not necessarily,” the man corrected. “I happen to know how to bargain with the Beast.” 

Patton lit up. This nice man could help him save his brother! “I’ll do anything! What do you need!” 

He chuckled and stood to his full height, reaching his arm down to offer Patton a hand. “Just come with me and all will be fixed.” 

Patton bit his lip, turning to look at Logan. “I can’t just… leave him, though.” 

“He will be fine. No one will harm him, I promise.” 

Patton debated with himself for another moment before taking the man’s hand. If this would save Logan, he would go with him. “Okay, mister, let’s go.” 

He did not notice how the branches retracted from Logan as colour returned to his face. He did not notice how they sat up and rubbed at their eyes, blinking furiously as they tried to get their vision to readjust. He did not notice when they saw him walking off, how they shot to their feet and began to chase him. He did not hear their screaming. 

“Would you like me to teleport us to the Beast?” the tall man asked, looking down at Patton. He nodded, and with a snap of his fingers, the man teleported the two of them away, leaving Logan to tumble over the edge of a small cliff and plummet to the ground below, landing on their arm with a sickening crunch. They screamed before falling back into darkness, but Patton did not know this. All Patton knew was that the nice man had brought him to a snow-filled grove before vanishing, leaving Patton cold and alone. 

“Mr. Beast, sir?” Patton called. “I’d like you to fix my brother.” A laugh answered him, sinking into Patton’s bones and sending nausea rolling through him. 

“Oh, I have. But now, you have to take his place.” Patton shivered harder. “Enjoy the grove. It’s your final resting place, Patton Whelan. There is nowhere to run, not anymore.” 

* * *

_ “Logan! Come on, I want to go trick or treating!” Patton called, knocking frantically on the door to his older brother’s room. Logan let out a groan at the call, leaning back in their chair to stare at the ceiling. Why did they have to take Patton out? Couldn’t they just stay inside? _

_ Of course not. Both Alfred and Arthur were working tonight and Logan had been stuck with babysitting duties, which also meant being stuck with Patton. Logan did have a costume, but they did not feel like leaving the house tonight. _

_ “Please? Papa told me you’d take me!” Logan gritted their teeth at the news. Of course Alfred had promised Patton something like that without asking Logan first. It was just like the stupid, perpetually happy golden boy to make his son smile at the expense of Logan’s comfort. _

_ “Logan? I… I made a really cool costume and I want to show Ms. Ortiz, at least…” Patton sounded on the verge of tears, and though Logan disliked him, they also refused to let Patton cry. They stood and strode over to the door, picking up the hat and cloak to complete their costume on the way, and flung open the door to face down a sad Patton. _

_ “Give me five minutes and we can go,” they growled before slamming the door again. They let out a sigh and leaned against the door. Logan hated acting like the villain here, hated taking their frustration out on Patton, but they couldn’t help it sometimes. Patton pushed too far too often, and Logan didn’t know how to handle it. _

_ They spent those five minutes adjusting his cloak, making sure it was draped over his shoulders and torso in a way that would disguise his skinniness. They then simply shoved the hat atop their head and strolled out into the hallway, closing the door behind them. _

_ “Let’s go, Patton,” they muttered, beginning to stalk down the stairs with their arms wrapped around their torso underneath the thick, navy cloak. Patton cheered and followed, babbling on and on about all the candy he was going to acquire. Logan tuned him out and focused on the ground in front of them, making sure to stop Patton from charging out onto the street. _

_ “Oh, Logan! There’s that kid you like!” Patton chirped. Logan’s head snapped up and whipped around, frantically searching for Joan. Their eyes landed on the cute human only a second later, red rising to their cheeks as they yanked Patton behind a bush. _

_ “Patton! We do not mention the squish where Joan can hear?” Logan hissed, eyes darting around frantically. _

_ “But I’m pretty sure they like you back, so why not just say it?” Logan groaned and dragged a hand down their face, contemplating responses. Most of them involved curse words and as such could not be used. Arthur, despite his own sailer’s mouth, would kill them for swearing in front of Patton. _

_ “Because… because it is not that simple,” Logan sighed, poking their head out to check if Joan was gone. They were. “I have no proof that Joan does, in fact, like me in that manner.” _

_ Patton shook his head and smiled. “Logan, even though you’re my big brother, you are an idiot.” _

_ Logan ignored that and dragged Patton out from behind the bush. “Okay, you wanted to trick or treat, go trick or treat.” Patton pouted but bounded off, visiting multiple doors to gain treats while Logan waited on the sidewalk. Logan watched and waited, simply enjoying the cool night air. _

_ “Oh, what’s this?” Logan froze as they felt Patton grab something from their cloak. They turned around to see what Patton had grabbed and froze. It was… The Mixtape. How had Patton gotten his hands on The Mixtape? Why was The Mixtape even in their cloak? _

_ “Patton! Give it back!” Logan yelped, diving for it. Patton simply laughed and ran away, Logan taking off after him. _

_ “Is it for _ Joan _ ?” Patton teased, scrambling over the wall separating the cemetery. _

_ “Y-yes it is, but that’s not important!” Logan stammered. “Give it back!” _

_ “Catch me if you can~!” With that, Patton spun around and darted towards the cemetery wall, Logan hot on his heels. Patton scrambled up over the wall and Logan followed, groaning as their stomach pressed into the hard red brick. Patton darted between the gravestones and Logan staggered after, already feeling the bruises covering their body. _

_ “Oof!” Logan uttered as they rounded a corner and crashed into someone. _

_ “Whoa, Logan!” a familiar voice cried. Logan felt hands on their arms, steadying them, and they looked, face draining of blood as they registered their squish, Joan, holding them upright. _

_ “Joan?” Logan choked out. _

_ “Yeah, um… so Patton just gave me a mixtape and said it’s from you?” Logan’s blood chilled and they immediately jerked out of Joan’s arms, darting around them to find Patton. They ignored their cries and grabbed Patton’s arm, not even looking at which direction they were sprinting in. All they knew was that they had to get away, away from Joan, away from judgement, away from embarrassment, away from emotion. _

_ Unfortunately, Logan was so focused on getting away that they did not notice what they were running towards. A large tree root appeared just before they could stop and their foot caught, sending both them and Patton sprawling over the edge of a bank. Logan screamed and pulled Patton close, curling around him just as their bodies began to roll over and over towards the dark pond. Logan gasped as they breached the surface, the cold shocking their muscles, and they made sure to hug Patton close before attempting to paddle upwards. Unfortunately, they strayed too close to the edge and their skull smashed against a rock, sending blackness soaking into their vision instantly and erasing all hope of survival. _

* * *

Logan gasped and shot upright, immediately checking all their limbs to make sure no bones were broken. They remembered a crunch beforehand and were terrified they would find a mangled limb. 

“Oh, no, sweetie, lay down,” a soft voice chirped. “You had quite a scare.” 

Logan ignored the voice and sat up, blinking their eyes frantically upon registering their surroundings. They could not possibly be surrounded by bluebirds. It had to be a dream. 

“Virgil brought you here,” the same voice continued. She sounded concerned. “It’s the first time we’ve seen him in months.” 

Logan pushed themself to their feet. “Where exactly is Virgil?” 

“He left as soon as he gave you to us.” Logan nodded and began to crawl towards the exit. “Wait, sweetie, no, there’s a blizzard outside.” 

“My brother and my friends are out there,” Logan shot back. “I can’t just leave them.” 

She sighed and backed down, feathers ruffled. “At least bring him home, will you?” 

“I’ll try my best, ma’am,” Logan replied before sliding out of the nest into the stinging cold of the blizzard. They pulled their cloak around them, shivering, as they began to traipse through the forest, squinting their eyes behind their glasses to be able to see through the horrible snow flying everywhere. 

They’d only been walking for a minute or two when something small and warm smacked them in the face. Logan sputtered in shock but managed to catch the object as it fell, squinting down. 

“Logan! What are you doing out here?” Virgil yelped, struggling to stand in Logan’s palms. Logan helped the small bluebird to his feet, hugging him close to their chest. 

“I have to find Patton,” Logan replied, just a tad bit out of breath. “He was taken by the Beast.” 

Virgil shook his head. “Hang on for a second, Remy’s out there too.” 

“I need to find him! He’s my brother!” Logan yelled, beginning to trudge through the snow again. They did not hear the sound of soft snow crunching beneath small paws behind them. 

“Logan, stop and think! You’re just a human, what chance do you stand against the Beast?” Virgil yelped, squirming around frantically. He couldn’t fly up to Logan’s shoulder, not in this weather. 

“It’s my job. I’m the older one,” Logan shot back, smiling slightly as they realized they were only a few feet from the tree line. They screeched as they were dragged to a halt by something grabbing the bottom of their cloak, twisting desperately to see what it was. 

A peeved black cat with acidic violet eyes stood there, glaring up at them. “At least listen when Virgil tells you to wait, gurl,” Remy grumbles. “And pick me up.” 

Logan bent, allowing Virgil to perch on Remy, before lifting both cat and bird to their shoulders. Remy dug in their claws to stabilize themself atop Logan’s shoulder, and Virgil perched on the other one. Logan kept walking, desperate to get under the cover of the trees and out of this horrid blizzard. 

They finally managed it what seemed like an hour later, as the wind had kept blowing them back two steps for every one forward they took. Logan let out a sigh of relief and took a moment to brush the snow off, Remy and Virgil hopping off their shoulders to the ground. The wind had mysteriously stopped blowing, but Logan didn’t ponder the implications of that. All they cared about was getting to Patton. 

A gasp from Virgil drew their focus back to reality. “Logan… look…” Logan followed the direction of Virgil’s wing and gasped as well, knees beginning to knock together. 

In front of them, leaning against a stump, tangled in black roots dripping oil, lay Patton. His skin was far, far too pale and his normally lively eyes were closed. A ways behind him lay the Woodsman Logan and Patton had met at the beginning of this insane adventure, groaning and trying to climb back to his feet. Logan’s anxiety screamed that they had failed and Patton had died because of them, only to be shattered when Patton let out a cough. 

“Patton!” Logan screamed, lunging forward, leaving Virgil and Remy behind in their haste. They ignored the calls to wait, the pleas to stop, the requests to halt, and skidded to a stop on their knees. Their hand flailed around, finally colliding with the lantern they had seen the Woodsman carrying earlier, and they raised it to see how Patton was doing. 

“Logan… I did it,” Patton mumbled, eyes cracking open a bit. “I won the game…” 

“Oh, Patton, no, no, it’s okay,” Logan soothed, setting the lantern in front of them as their hands frantically moved to the roots and began to pull. “I’ll get you out of here and we’ll go home, okay?” 

“No, no, Logan, I got him to let you go home,” Patton insisted, smiling weakly up at the taller child. “You can go home and tell Joan how you feel…” 

Logan shook their head. “No, no, Patton, no. We’re getting you out of here, you’re going home too.” 

“Logan-” Virgil squeaked from behind them.   


“What?” Logan snapped, tugging fruitlessly at the roots tying Patton to the trunk. 

“Well well, Logan. You’re a rude little thing, aren’t you?” a darkly familiar voice purred in front of them. Logan slowly looked up, eyes widening as they took in the handsome form of the Beast, his grin impossibly wide and displaying far too many sharp fangs. 

“L-let him go,” Logan stammered, hand curling around the lantern again. In the worst case, they could use it as a weapon. The Beast simply chuckled and moved around the stump, stalking towards Logan. They scrambled backwards, clutching the lantern to their chest. The Beast paused upon seeing this, eyes narrowing. 

“If you wish… I am willing to make a deal.” 

“Don’t listen to him, Logan!” Remy and Virgil yelled before being silenced by a wave of the Beast’s hand. Logan didn’t look back, too scared of what they might see, instead forcing themself to meet the Beast’s eyes. 

“Oh? What deal?”

“Give me the lantern, and I will place his soul inside it so he may live on forever, instead of dying and wasting away inside the tree he is becoming.” 

“No! He lies!” the Woodsman yelled. The Beast spun around, snarling, the shadows lashing as he towered over the Woodsman. 

“ ** _Sh_ ** <strike> ** _Ut_ ** </strike> ** _ Up_ ** ** _, _ ** <strike> ** _W_ ** </strike> _ oOd _ ** _Sm_ ** <strike> ** _An_ ** </strike> ** _!_ ** ” he screeched, voice dark and crackling and far too alien and ancient. Logan screamed, curling into a ball around the lantern and bracing for the inevitable blow. The Woodsman also screamed before falling silent, and Logan could not look at him either, realizing with a cold sinking feeling that they were most likely the last one alive. 

“Now, Logan, do we have a deal?” His voice was back to being calm, soothing, and far too convincing to be real. Logan looked up cautiously to see him smiling, extending a hand towards Logan, looking for all the world like a normal human. Logan shakily stood and began to extend a hand towards the Beast before pausing, their mind catching up to their ears. 

“No.” 

The Beast’s eyes narrowed. “What.” Shadows began to curl behind him, his eyes flickering pink for a brief instant, but Logan stood their ground despite their instincts screaming at them to give in. 

“No. I’m not giving you the lantern. That’s dumb.” With that, they stepped back, hand tightening around the iron handle. 

“Child, stop this silliness,” the Beast growled. Logan simply shook their head and held it up, the light illuminating the flimsiness of the Beast’s human guise. 

“It’s illogical to give you what you want. It is not a good bargaining practice to hand over someone’s soul for a simple lantern. I bet you don’t even place souls in the lantern. Hell, why do you even want this? It’s not important, unless-” Logan’s brain finally connected the dots and they gasped, turning shocked eyes to the lantern. “Unless it’s your soul in here.” 

“You do not know what powers you toy with here,” the Beast hissed, hand extended. “If you hand me my lantern now, I will spare you.” 

“I have no guarantee of that,” Logan stated, voice flat. “For all I know, the second I hand over this lantern, you will turn me into a tree.” 

The Beast exploded, doubling in height to tower over Logan, shadows wreathing him as his eyes burned bright white and large antlers extended across the clearing. “ ** _H_ ** <strike> ** _aN_ ** </strike> _ d _ **_I_**_t_ _O_<strike>**_v_**</strike>_E_ _ r _ ** _!_ **” he roared. Logan trembled in terror but held firm. 

“No.” 

“ ** _A_ ** <strike> ** _rE_ ** </strike> ** yO** _ u R _ <strike> ** _eA_ ** </strike> _ d _ **_Y_** _tO_ <strike>**_e_****_XpE_**</strike> ** _rIe_ ** _ N _ **_cE_** _t_<strike>**_Ru_**</strike> _ E _ ** _ dA_ ** <strike> ** _rK_ ** </strike> ** _n_ ** Es  ** _S?_ **” the Beast rumbled, taloned hands reaching up to rip into Logan. 

Logan simply let out a short chuckle, belying the terror in his soul, as they unlatched the door to the lantern. They brought it right up to their face before turning to stare the Beast right in his cold, dead, empty eyes. 

“Are you?” was Logan’s only response before they blew out the flame of the lantern, ignoring the screams of the other three innocents in the clearing. 

The Beast staggered back, screaming in agony that cut straight to the core of Logan’s soul, causing so much pain that Logan was forced to drop the lantern and clap hands over their ears in a desperate attempt to drown out the horrible sound. They watched in frozen horror as the Beast staggered back, shedding shadows with every step, until his human form was the only thing left, eyes blows wide in desperate terror. With a final screech, the Beast solidified into a twisted tree, leaving the clearing suddenly silent. Logan let out a shaky breath at the silence, all the tension draining from their frame. 

“Logan? Are you… are you okay?” Virgil’s shaky voice asked from behind them. They slowly turned to see the bluebird and the cat carefully walking towards them, concern practically oozing from every fibre of their beings. Logan nodded, turning back to look at the tree they had just created with a simple gust of carbon dioxide. 

“He’s really gone,” the Woodsman gasped, sitting up. The scar on his face had vanished, leaving only a weary, middle-aged man on the verge of tears. Logan nodded again, letting all the trapped air out of their lungs. 

“What about Patton?” Virgil whispered. 

“Patton! Oh stars no!” Logan gasped, diving back towards the stump. The branches retracted the second they touched them, sending Patton tumbling into Logan’s arms. Colour had returned to his face and his breathing was deep and steady. He was alive. 

Logan sobbed in joy and hugged their brother close. “Patton you’re alive, oh gosh.” 

“Mm… Logan?” Patton mumbled. “Can we go home now?” 

“Yes, yes of course we can,” Logan answered, standing and cradling Patton in their arms. “Let’s get you home.” 

“I… I guess this is goodbye, then,” Virgil mumbled, landing in front of Logan. Logan smiled softly and knelt down, gently setting Patton down in order to give Virgil a hug. 

“Yeah… you should go back to your parents, they miss you.” 

“I have to tell them that it’s my fault we’re all bluebirds, don’t I?” Virgil chuckled, wiping tears away from his eyes. Logan cleared their throat and reached into their cloak, pulling out the scissors they had stolen from Talyn. 

Virgil’s eyes widened. “Where did you get those?” 

“I took them on the way out of Talyn’s house. I figured they might be important.” 

“Well, you figured right,” Virgil said, smiling softly. “Thank you so much.” 

Logan nodded and gave the bluebird a small hug. “Stay safe, Virgil.” 

“I’ll try, and you better promise too,” Virgil shot back, grinning before hopping back. 

Remy stepped forward, head cocked to the side. “So… I don’t really have a home here. I just wander. Do you two mind if I come with you?” 

“Yay, kitty!” Patton cheered. 

“Patton you are allergic to cats!” Logan shot back. 

“Oh yeah… but I’ve been fine this entire time!” Patton answered, sitting up and beaming at Logan. “Please?” 

Logan sighed. “Fine, Remy can come with. But we really should be going home now.” Patton nodded and pushed himself up, grabbing Logan’s hand. Remy jumped onto Logan’s shoulders while they were still crouched down. Logan stood to their full height and began to walk towards the doorway home, allowing Patton’s chatter to wash over them, just happy their brother was alive and still able to talk their ear off about something Logan knew nothing about. 

Virgil was left with the Woodsman, the two of them watching the three vanish into the fog of the woods. Virgil slowly turned to the Woodsman, feathers still puffed up with anxiety. 

“Am I the only one who thinks this won’t be the last time we see those three?” 

“No, you are absolutely correct in thinking that,” the Woodsman rumbled. “Now that the Beast is dead, the forest needs a new Caretaker.” 

Virgil shivered. “Well, they better be nicer than the last one.” 

The Woodsman simply smiled at Virgil. “Oh, I believe they will be.” Virgil blinked, confused, but the Woodsman laughed. “Never mind the strange ramblings of an old man. Now, let’s get you back to normal. Hand over the scissors.” 

* * *

Logan blinked awake to see bright white lights searing into their eyes. They groaned, throwing an arm over them to block out the light, waiting for the rest of their senses to adjust. They heard soft beeping in the background, felt soft sheets beneath their back, and heard soft breathing on their left. 

“Logan?” Joan’s voice called softly. “Are you awake? Are you okay?” 

“Where am I?” Logan mumbled, tongue thick in their mouth. 

“Hospital. Do you remember what happened?” Logan frowned, thinking, and pulled a blank. They shook their head, giving Joan the signal to continue. “So, you bumped into me in the cemetery, then grabbed Patton and ran. You accidentally tripped over a root and the two of you tumbled down the bank and crashed into the pond. I expected you to come back up in a minute, but you didn’t, and… well… I called 911. Just before I dove in to get you two, you broke the surface, dragged yourself, Patton, and this black cat to the shore, and then promptly passed out.” 

“Oh.” Logan frowned. They remembered being in a strange forest with Patton and this bluebird who could talk… was that real? 

“Logan, you were underwater for 5 minutes. No one knows how you’re still alive,” Joan murmured, tears clogging their voice. “I thought we had lost you.” 

“I’m right here, Joan,” Logan answered. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“I know, I know, but… ah shit, it doesn’t matter.” Joan laughed and gently pulled Logan’s arm away from their eyes. “Now… what was on that mixtape?” 

Logan coughed. “Oh, that… just some poetry and clarinet. Nothing important.” 

“Well, I’d still like to listen to it,” Joan said. “But I don’t have a mixtape player.” 

“I- I do,” Logan whispered. Joan smiled and squeezed their hand. 

“Would you mind if I came over next week and we could listen to it together?” Logan nodded, Joan nodded back, and after a few moments of silently gazing at each other, they burst into giggles. Everything would be okay, Logan knew. Everything was right with the world. Patton was safe. Joan didn’t hate them. Logan was home safely, and all was right with the world for now. 

Later, Arthur and Alfred would burst into Logan’s room and pull them into a hug that involved far too many tears for Logan’s taste. Then, they would guide them to Patton’s room, where the tearful hugs would continue. Arthur would disapprove of Remy the cat at first (Logan realized that the Unknown had been real the second they saw Remy. There was no other way that cat could be here, winking at them while smirking atop Patton’s chest), but then would ultimately relent at Patton’s proof that he was not allergic to this particular cat. They will gather the two siblings and take them and their new cat home at the baffled approval of the staff and settle them back into normal life, the small family just happy to be alive and together. 

But at this moment, Logan lays in a hospital bed with their best friend at their side. In another world, a boy who used to be a bluebird enters the clearing where he had almost died, flanked by a tall woodsman and the son who had finally come home. The bird boy kneels and checks the pulse of a red-haired man who lays on the ground in front of the tree in the middle of the clearing. He finds him alive and asks the woodsman to help him carry the man back to his house. There is something rotten going on in this forest, he knows, and he is determined to discover it. The small group shuffles back to a cabin, leaving the tree standing alone, a lantern empty at its roots. The lantern whispers, calling out for the one who had last extinguished it to come and light it again. _ The Unknown needs the Caretaker _ , it whispers. _ You must come fulfill your right _ , it calls. _ We will be waiting _, it sings, in a song only able to be heard by one. 

The one its song calls to will not notice it right away. They will deny it for a time. “The Beast is dead”, they will protest. “There is nothing in that other world for me.” They will be wonderful at protesting, at ignoring, at simply going about their daily human life, until one day the lantern’s song becomes too much. On that day, they will exit a shower, refreshed and reborn, and wipe steam off a mirror, only to see the truth of their true nature. They will scream, yet no one will hear. No one but them can see the truth, not yet. No one but they can see the antlers twisting from their skull, reaching for the heavens, denoting the role of Caretaker of the Unknown. 

**Author's Note:**

> You're welcome
> 
> Please let me know what you thought in the comments! Long comments are my lifeblood :) 
> 
> ~Logan


End file.
